Safety means for tanks



R. w. cRossEN, JR

sAFETi MEANS OR TANKS May 28,1935.

Filed July so, 1952 ZSheets-Sheet i INN May 28, 1935- R. w. CROSSEN, JR

SAFETY MEANS FOR TANKS Filed July so, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented 'May 28, 1935 UNITED STATE SAFETY MEANS Fort inks 3 Robert w. 'Cro ssen, Jr. Plai'nfield; 111. designer to Farrell Manufacturing Company, Joliet, 111;, a

corporation of Illinois This invention pertains to tanks and tank trucks, and morejparticularly to safety means, for controlling the discharge valves from said tanks, I I

In some forms of tanks, particularly tank trucksorcarsfor dispensing gasoline to service stations and'jthe like, it is not unusual for the truck to contain a plurality of different combustible substances such, as gasoline, fuel oil 7 and the like, disposed in a plurality of separate tanks; each "controlled by i a separate control, valve operated from one source. The"controlvalves arealso adapted to bejndividually roperated forjconvenience orsafety. The ordinary single control, is generally placed at the afterend of the tank with an-auxiliary control adjacent the forward end :of the tank so that the valves may be shut from either station; In the event that fire occurs, it usually occurs adjacent the after end of the tank where the discharge fau cets are located and it therefore may be impossible for the operator to close the valves from the main control. V Itis therefore an object of thisinvention to provide means associated with. the individual valves of a tank for controlling said valves for emergency operation; 1 j V v 1 Another object, is to provide a fusiblelink connection for automatic emergency control of; the dischargemeans of a combustible fluid dispens-' ing container. g H

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel fea: tures of construction and operation as will be 1 more fully described and particularly-pointed out in the specificatiomdrawings and claims appended hereto. I

In the drawings, which illustrate anembodiment of the device and wherein like reference ;characters are used, to designate like parts- ,Figure 1 is a topplan view of a tank pro: 7 vided with the emergency control means showing the invention applied for the control of separate valves; 1 I

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the tank con struction shown in Figure 1;' 4 r Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the control valve operating means;- V a Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken substantially in the plane as indicated by line 4-4 of Figure3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged end fusible link control mechanism;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of 3 control mechanism;.

elevation of the the fusible link 'may be had through the manholes 12.

Figure '7 is, a sectional elevation taken substantially-in the-{plane as indicated by the line "ll ofFigure 5.:- e r In the application of the invention to a tank,

a form is shown applicable to a tank truck 5 wherein the tank I0 is provided with a number of compartments therein to which ingress Each of said compartments is adapted to be drained or'have 'liquidfdispensed therefrom through a suitable bottom valve (not shown) controlled by the control valve mechanism l4. Thecontrol' valve mechanism includes the rotating cam; or? cap l6 secured to the valve control rod ill, the

rod passing ,throughflhecap: and being pro- 5 .vided withthe operating lever 20,, The rod 18,

together with the ca m l6, gravitally seats upon the annular portion Ll of the tank l0 as-shown in Figure 4. Rotation of the cam member l6 by the lever 20 willproduce vertical movement of the rod {8 and actuate the valve at the lower endof the rod l8, The lever 20, is notched as at'22 for the reception ofthe individual operats ing-handle 24, the handlebeing pivoted as at;26

to the support 28: provided on the cap l6 andnormally urgedto engagement with the notch by means of the spring 30. 7

Each lever 20 is pivoted to a drag link 32, which in turn is pivoted to the lever 34 provided on the operating rod 36, the operating rod being jouri naled on the tank l0 in-the supports 38. The end 7 of the operating ,rod'36 adjacent the rear of the tank is provided with the lever 40 which is pivotally mounted between, the spaced arms or bifurcated portions 42 of the fusible linkmechanisme 44. The-fusible link mechanism 44 includes the casing 46; integral with ,the arms 42, the casing being open adjacentone endfor the reception of the rod 48. The rod 48 extends into the casing and isprovlded with the washer 50'secured to said rod, between which washer and the shoulders 52 V the spring 54 is provided. The casing 46 is notched as at 56 for the reception of the legs of the spring 58. The legs ofthe spring 58 maintain the washer in position to compress the spring 54between the, shoulders 52 and the washer 50. The spring--58 is retained in operative position by; means of the fusible link, 60 secured as at 62 between the legs of the spring 58.- The rod '48 is 50 pivoted to the lever 64 ;provided on the control shaft 66, the control shaft being operated. by the operatinghandle 68. a

For emergency operation, the shaft 36 is provided with the armlfispring pressed as at 12 to faucets will be cut oil",

tate the entire cap l6 of each of the valves- In the event it is desired to disengage any one of the valves, it is only necessary to revolve the handle 24 out of the notch 22, in which case the remaining valves can be operated from theQhandIe' Ekozr the individual valve can be operated through its ling discharge from said compartments, said conhandle 24. I 1 In event of fire or other hazardad'jaceht the rear end of the tank, in which case it would be impossible for an operator toreach-the statiprr at the handle 68, the valves might be simultaneously operated through the; emergency handle I8.

However, the the adjacent the-end of insane would melt the fusible link 6 I, 'causin'g the ofthe spring 58 to be disengagedv fromtl'ie notches 56 of the casing, releasing the washer The spring 5'4 will cause the'cas'ing fifo'move toward the left as vi'ewedi'nFigure 7, to'fithereby rotate the levers M in a counter-clockwise direction as" viewed in Figure I, and thereby shut the valves.

In this case the source of'supply' to the'discha'rge andthe tire hazard greatly lessened. f

It is to be understood that I do'not to be limited' byf the exact embodiment of the device shown, which is merely-by wayof illustration and not limitation, as various and other' forms of the device will of course apparentto' those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit inventionor the scope of the claims;

IIa-iinz' V r 1. In atank, the combination of a plurality of compartmentavalve controlmeans for coritrol ling discharge i'romj said compartments, said control means "including a earir member for each compartment, a lever for each ca-m member foroperating said cam-members, a rotatable shaft mounted "on and extending longitudinally of the tank and connected to said levers for operation thereof, ahandle for rotating said shaft/said levers and'said" cam members, and means'out- I side of said tank for automatically rotating said shaft to operate said levers and said camme'mbers.

2. In a tank, the combination of a pluralityof thereof, a handle for rotating said shaft, and"- means between said handle and? shaft for automatically rotating said shaft to operate said levers and said eam' members.

3. In a tank, the combination of a plurality of compartments, valve control means for controlling discharge from said compartments, said COD-5' trol means including a cam member'ioi: each compartment, ;a lever for'each cam member for operating said cam members, a rotatable shaft mounted on and extending'longitudinally 'of the tank and connectedtto said lev'ers'for operation thereof, a handle for rotatingsaidshaft, and. meansfor automatically'rotating said shaft to operate said levers and said cam members, said of the means including a housing, a rod extending into said housing and provided with a shoulder, a longitudinally expansible spring disposed between said shoulder'and said housing, a second laterally expansible spring disposed between said shoulder and housing and normally rendering said first named spring inoperative, and a fusible link for controlling, said second named spring whereby fusing of said link" 'permits lateral expansion of said second spring which, in turn, releases the first-named spring for rotation of said shaft and operation of said levers and said cam members. 41in a tank, the combination of a plurality of compartments, valve control means for controltrol meansincluding a cam member for each compartment, a lever for each cam member for operatin-g'saidcam members, a rotatable shaft mountedorr and extending longitudinally of the tudinally-'expansflele spring disposed'between said shoulder amfsaid housing; asecond" laterally expansible spring disposed between'sai'd shoulder and housing and normally rendering said named. spring inoperative, and releasable means cooperating with said second named spring and arranged so thatfrelease of'said means 'disengages" said second namedspring by lateral movementfrom said shoulder to permit rela'tive longitudinal movement betwen said housing and rod.

' 5 .-;I1'i' a tank, the combination of apiurality of compartments, valve control means for control- I ling diseharge from said compartments, said control; means including a cam member for each compartment, a lever for each cam member for operating said cam'members, a rotatable shaft mounted onand extending" longitudinallyof the tank and connected to said leversior operation thereof, a hand-1e for'lrotatirig said shaft, and automatically rotating said shaft to operate sanaevm and said'cam members, said means including a spring releasable for'operative reatidnbetween said handle andsaid shaft.

-- 6. Ina tank, the combination of a plurality of compartments, valve control meansfor controla ling discharge from said compartmeritasaid controlmeans including: a cammember for each compartment, a lever for each cam member for operating' said cammembers, a rotatable shaft mounted on andextending longitudinally of the tank and connected to said levers for operation thereof,

a handle for rotating said shaft, and means for automatically'rotatmg said shaft to operate said levers and said cam membersysaid means includin'gfajspring releasable for operative reaction between'said'handle and said shaft and a fusible linkfor releasing, said spring. V

In afue'l tank having a plurality offuel oompartments, emergency dischargeconttol means for each compartment,manually operable means for,;,simultaneously operating the discharge control means foreach compartment, said lastnamed'ineansincluding a fusible link through whichemovenrentq may be normally: transmitted and said fusible link including expansible. means releasable upon. fusing ofsaidlink for operating said discharge control meana'automatieally.

'8; 1'n='a miel'tank having apluiraliw offuel compartments, emergency discharge control means for each tank, manually operable means for individually operating said discharge control means,

a fusible link through which movement may be normally transmitted and said fusible link in-' cluding expansible means releasable upon fusing of said link for operating the dischargecontrol means for each compartment automatically.

9. In a fuel tank having a plurality of fuel compartments, emergency discharge control means for each compartment mounted .on the top portion of said tank including a rotatable cam member, means for individually operating said cam members and means adjacent one end. of said tank for simultaneously operating all of said cam members.

10. In combination with a fuel tank having a plurality of fuel compartments, valve control -means for controlling the discharge from each of said compartments including a rotatable cam member at the top of each of said compartments and lever arms for operating each cammember, means for individually operating said cam members, a rotatable operating shaft mounted on said tank and extending longitudinally thereof, oper-- ative connections between said shaft and each of c said lever arms and independently operable means for rotating said shaft from either end thereof.

' ROBERT W. CROSSEN, JR. 

